Comments on: For These Girls, Saturday Night is Race Night

By racer on 08-14-08

Well, girls, what are you gonna do when you find out that local racing is all about cheating?  What makes you think the track officials and managers and owner know anything about race cars and how they work and how easy it is to kiss up and collect trophies while ethical and moralistic people are working hard just to be in the race?
The article forgot to mention how dismal the racing action is lately.  What do you call a race between three cars?  Or six? Or even eight? 
Boring. 
What a shame.  But I’m trying to help bring it back.  No, I am not at all negative about it.  I want people to think.  And care.  And do something.  When they figure it out, and think and care and want to do something, it will be fun again. 
Ask your favorite ex-racer why he quit.  And then ask him for the REAL reason.  It’s all about cheating and ass kissing and some of us aren’t into it.

By No Dope on 08-14-08

racer, you hit the nail.  I miss the fun at the racetrack.  My Grandpa won’t even uncover his car until they get a tech man who knows the difference between a rollbar and a rolaids.  He promised me I could drive it when I get my learner’s permit.  I’m not holding him to it.  Because I don’t want to race against cheaters.  We haven’t been to the races in two years now.
I just hope someday it will be fun again ‘cause I want to race, or at least go to the races.  That’s where all the cute boys are!

By balloon lady on 08-14-08

I just have to throw in here, too.  We are, or actually were, a racing family, were there every Saturday night to cheer on our car or our friends’ cars.  What a blast that was!  I have to correct people who think local racing is all redneck lowlife scum and such.  I’ve seen doctors and lawyers and major business owners there, too.  Some even own, sponsor, and drive the cars.
Thanks, Beacon, for being the ONLY form of local media that is involved in our favorite sport next to horseback riding. 
However, as a sponsor of a racing class, you should know that “racer” is right.  It’s a bunch of cheating and the class you sponsor is controlled by a clique who the rules even don’t allow there, if anyone was to actually read the rule book.  Being such seasoned veterans they know there really aren’t any rules so they can cheat all they want.  Racer is right.  Check it out.

By Roark on 08-15-08

Why, specifically, would a girl want to race cars???

By racer on 08-15-08

Because it’s a blast, Roark.  If you’re a thrill seeker at all, it should be on your “must do” list!
It’s a great family hobby, too. 
It costs less than playing golf.
It’s a lot safer than driving on the local streets and highways.
It’s just plain fun.  You should check it out.  The speedway has undergone lots of improvement (as far as the facility, anyway) but unfortunately there aren’t many cars racing this year.  You’d be welcome to join in, they need you. Just don’t expect to do real well there, unless you’re a cheater, too.

By TRM on 08-15-08

Raceway Park and Mission Speedway in Pablo are both a joke. They should have rules and a committee to govern. The Beacon should investigate Raceway one summer and do a feature exposing the problems. Isn’t that what the media is for? A form of public checks and balance, sometimes.

By A Beacon Fan on 08-15-08

Beautiful set of photographs !
Excellent work !

By racer on 08-15-08

TRM, the track is governed and officiated by illiterate rednecks who really don’t care.  If you’re one of the good old boys you know that the rules are merely a suggestion, and nobody would dare enforce them against you.  You’re not gonna do real well if you think the rules were to be adhered to.  It is a joke, yes, but mostly it is a contest.  It’s a contest about going fast in a circle in (hopefully) very heavy traffic.  So you do whatever it takes to go the fastest and complete a number of laps first. 
A track record was awarded to a car last year, even after the driver of the car refused to allow the tech official to inspect it. 
Read the rulebook.  A driver cannot do that at any time, track record or not. 
Then last fall management decided the rulebooks should be looked over, discussed among racers, and changed to their liking.  Appeared to be a very democratic process.  Ideas were kicked around, rules were re-worded, we agreed to some changes.  Guess what.  When the rules were printed, only one thing discussed was printed, yet some other things we didn’t even bring up were added.  Some democracy, reminds me of their “Shut up and Race” slogan a few years ago.  It is required to be that stupid to be a racer at Raceway Park.  Congratulations, girls, you’re there.  Sorry. But you’ll figure it out, just like so many others before you.

By racing girl6 on 08-24-08

i am one of those stupid girl racers at raceway park. Im sorry to those who have a problem with the track. Im out there to have fun so is many other racers. There are some cheaters at the track, the racing community knows that. ITs a sport, and i love it. Who cares if im goin around in circles on a track, as long as im having fun its all worth it. It is a shame knowing some of your race mates are cheating and getting away with it, but they end up loosing in the end. The officials are doing there best to inforce the rules, and you can have a car torn down if you think there cheating, but no one takes advantage of that anymore. Yes we are loosing racers, but not just because the “track sucks.“ My hobby is very expensive, and with the economy in the toliet its more of a money factor than anything. The track does need to inforce the rules, they have been better thisyear then ever. oh and Roark, why do i race? Its the fastest, most thrilling, and addrenine rushing, sport you can do. Why wouldnt a girl wnat to race? its not just for the guys, in fact im beating them.

By sponsor 4 cars on 08-24-08

Girl6, who said the track sucks?  Never heard that.
I took some New York City slickers to the 150 last night and they were thrilled.  They had never seen anything like that before, and they even have a “cabin” half an hour from Pocono.  They were very impressed with the facility, although technically they were “slumming”...  Kind of a different crowd from what they usually hang with! 
We don’t use the official protest method because it’s well known that the tech team wouldn’t know what they’re looking at anyway, and then track management would step in and dismiss the entire situation.  Waste of time.  Any veteran racer will agree to this, and explain that this means the rulebook is simply a guide, not to be taken seriously, the whole thing is just for fun.  Cheating is fun.  I discovered this once I realized what local racing is all about, when in Rome you do as the Romans. 
A racer in one class was DQ’d recently for having an illegal, obviously visible right rear spring.  History was made that night.  Congrats to the tech man for knowing what a spring looks like.  And to track management for understanding an explanation of why it was illegal.
It’s great that you can beat the guys, why shouldn’t you?  Anyone who works hard at it can do well.  Cheating may not be required in your class, I don’t know.  Or care, since nobody else does, either.  Some people may not realize what it takes to make a car finish first. 
It’s good that you’re having fun, that is what it’s all about, remember.  Perhaps you will inspire other girls to join the fun.  Anything to get the car count back up again.

Your Comment